My Place
by multifandomhaven
Summary: Kakashi stilled. It was the first time she'd used those words. The words he'd pondered for months. The words he so desperately wanted to say, to hear. The very same words that shook him to his very core.


**Requested on my tumblr _multifandomhaven._**

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Hikari was in shambles. Her eyes were sore from her tears and the sheer amount of times she'd wiped them that day. Her throat was scratchy from the words whispered into her lovers ear, pleading with him, begging him to wake up, to just give her a sign he could hear the words she'd said. Her hands shook with nerves and she feared she might get sick.

Being in a relationship with a shinobi was hard, but she'd accepted all that when she realized how completely in love with one she'd been. But Kakashi wasn't just a ninja to her, he was a kind, caring, sweet, genuine man who'd come into her life just when she needed him to. He was the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. He was her true love.

He needed to wake up.

Kakashi lay in the hospital bed, the sheet covering his chin and nose just the way it did at home - Hikari had fussed with it for who knows how long. She wanted him comfortable - as comfortable as she could make him, anyway. Beneath his eyes were dark bags. The blood had been cleaned from his body and bruises crept up from beneath the sheet, littering his cheek, multicolored and angry.

The door opened slowly, and a pink head of hair poked inside. Sakura.

"Hikari," she said quietly, walking over to stand beside her chair. "We have him stabilized, he's going to be fine. He just needs some rest."

The older woman nodded, her eyes filling with another round of tears. "Thank you, Sakura. How long do you think it'll be before he wakes up?"

The pinkette frowned slightly, her hand resting lightly on Hikari's shoulder. "I can't give you an exact time. You know Kakashi-sensei, though. He's tough. He wouldn't want us worrying about him so much."

"I know," Hikari whispered, a slight chuckle in her voice. She reached up and smoothed back his silver hair softly. "He's as hardheaded as Naruto sometimes."

A quiet groan came from the man in the bed, his mismatched eyes blinking to adjust to the harsh light of the hospital room. Sakura quickly excused herself from the room, uncomfortable with the amount of emotion coming from her sensei's lover.

Hikari scooted closer to the bed, her hands reaching out for Kakashi's. She rubbed her thumb along his busted knuckles with as much care as she could.

"Hey," he half-whispered.

A tear escaped Hikari's eyes as she responded. "Hey."

Kakashi squeezed her hand softly, his eyes softening at her cries. "Hikari. Hey, none of that. No tears, I'm alright."

"I-I'm sorry," she sobbed softly. "I was just so scared."

"It's alright, everything's okay now." Kakashi gave her a tiny, forced smile - she could tell from the crinkle of his eyes. They weren't nearly as pronounced as when his smile or joy was real. Hikari nodded and then moved to get him a glass of water. He drank it down quickly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Listen, I'll probably be here for a few days, you can go ahead and go back home. I'll visit when I'm released."

"Kakashi, please." Hikari sat the glass back down onto the counter by the sink in the room, her brows furrowed. "Don't do this."

"Do what?" Kakashi asked, wincing and groaning as he tried to sit up. Hikari tried to help him but he shrugged her hands away softly and continuing to sit up on his own.

"That." Hikari said. "Don't push me away, Kakashi."

Kakashi stared up at her as he shrugged on his shirt, tugging the mask onto his face as gently as he could. "I'm not pushing you away, I just want you comfortable. I've sat in these chairs so many times I've lost count, they're the furthest thing in the world from comfortable. I'll stay overnight then meet you at your place."

"My place is here," Hikari said, her voice so quiet that if Kakashi weren't a ninja he might not have heard her. "With you."

Kakashi swallowed, his eyes still trained on her. He gave a single, tiny nod and held his hand out to her. "Fine," he whispered. "I suppose if the situation were reversed I would feel exactly as you do now."

Hikari nodded, feeling more relieved now that he was awake and speaking. "Are you feeling okay? Are you in pain?"

"Just a bit," he admitted quietly, leaning back against his pillows. "I'll be fine, don't worry."

Hikari shook her head. "I'll never stop worrying about you, you silly man. I love you."

Kakashi stilled. It was the first time she'd used those words. The words he'd pondered for months. The words he so desperately wanted to say, to hear. The very same words that shook him to his very core.

"I love you Kakashi," she said again, taking his hand in her own again, "and I have for a while I was just too scared or stupid to say it, but I do. I love you."

Kakashi pulled her closer with his hands, placing a masked kiss to her forehead. "You know I do too, right?"

Hikari smiled, leaning her head gently onto his shoulder. "I do now."


End file.
